Customer data is frequently mapped to a particular application server in a packet network structure, e.g., a VoIP network infrastructure. This mapping changes frequently as the service requirements of the customer changes and/or as physical changes are made in the application server environment within the VoIP network. Call Control Elements (CCE) need to access these Application Servers (AS) in order to retrieve and process customer specific service logic to complete phone calls. Hence, CCEs need to know which application server contains the customer specific information needed to complete a call originated from or destined to a particular subscriber. In a large VoIP network, there may be many CCEs. As the IP addresses of particular ASs change, the CCEs need to determine the correct IP address of a particular AS to communicate with in order to obtain and process the correct customer specific routing and service logic information. If the CCEs do not have the correct information associated with the particular AS that the CCEs need to communicate with, a call can fail. A CCE is a network element that performs call control functions to setup a call. An AS is a network element that comprises the data as well as applications that the CCE needs in order to setup a call.
Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus for sending automatic updates to a Call Control Element (CCE) from an Application Server (AS) in a packet network, e.g., a VoIP network.